Disciplined bowling from Australia in the second half of the innings, following a fiery start by openers Jos Buttler and Phil Salt, helped the 2021 champions secure a 36-run win over England in their ICC T20 World Cup match at Bridgetown, Barbados on Saturday.
Australia now sits atop Group B with two wins in two matches, while England is in fourth place with a loss and a no-result game.
In pursuit of 202 runs, the English opening pair of Jos Buttler and Phil Salt displayed aggression comparable to Australia’s, maintaining a run rate of nearly nine or ten per over during the powerplay. Both right-handers targeted the pace quartet of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, and Marcus Stoinis with disdain, with Starc and Hazlewood conceding 18 and 20 runs, respectively, in their first two overs. By the end of the powerplay, England was 54/0, with Buttler (21*) and Salt (29*) unbeaten, and Australia had reached the 50-run mark in 5.2 overs.
The seventh over by Starc proved costly, yielding 19 runs, including two sixes and a four by England’s dominant opening pair. However, Adam Zampa’s spin worked its magic in the next over, clean bowling Salt for 37 off 23 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes. England was 73/1 in 7.1 overs.
Zampa continued his impact by dismissing Buttler, who was caught by Cummins at deep backward point while attempting a reverse sweep. The English skipper scored a fine 42 off 28 balls, with five fours and two sixes, leaving England at 92/2 in 9.5 overs.
Australia gained a crucial advantage by removing the hard-hitting Will Jacks for just 10 off 10 balls, thanks to a brilliant catch by Starc. England was 96/3 in 10.5 overs and reached the 100-run mark in 11.2 overs.
After a couple of slow overs, Moeen Ali broke the shackles by smashing Glenn Maxwell for three sixes. However, Jonny Bairstow (7) gifted his wicket to Hazlewood with a mistimed shot that was caught by Maxwell at deep midwicket. England was 124/4 in 14.1 overs.
Facing mounting pressure, England needed 76 runs in the final five overs, having scored just 33 runs between overs 10-15. Cummins delivered a fine 16th over, dismissing Moeen for 25 off 15 balls, caught by David Warner near the boundary. England was 128/5 in 15.5 overs.
Liam Livingstone broke a streak of boundary-less overs with a huge straight six in the 17th over, leaving England with 54 runs to get in the final two overs. However, Livingstone lost his wicket while attempting another straight six against Cummins, getting out for 15 off 12 balls, with a six. England was 152/6 in 18.5 overs and eventually finished their innings at 165/6, with Brook (20*) and Jordan (1*) unbeaten.
Cummins (2/23) and Zampa (2/28) were the top bowlers for Australia, with Hazlewood and Stoinis taking a wicket each.
Earlier, an explosive 70-run opening stand between Travis Head and David Warner helped Australia reach a competitive score of 201/7 in their 20 overs during the ICC T20 World Cup contest against arch-rivals England at Barbados on Saturday. Although none of the Aussie batters managed a big score, nearly everyone chipped in with solid contributions to ensure a strong total.
After being put to bat first by England, Australian openers Travis Head and David Warner got off to a flying start. The second over by Will Jacks saw Australia score 22 runs, with a six by Warner and two maximums by Travis. Warner continued to dominate the English pacers, smashing Mark Wood for three big sixes and a four in the fourth over, reaching the 50-run mark in just 3.4 overs.
Moeen Ali eventually got the prized scalp of Warner for 39 off 16 balls, with two fours and four sixes, reducing Australia to 70/1 in five overs. In the very next over, Jofra Archer deceived Head with a slower ball that crashed into his middle stump. Head was dismissed for 34 off 18 balls, with two fours and three sixes, leaving Australia at 74/2 in 5.4 overs.
By the end of the powerplay, Australia was 74/2, with Glenn Maxwell and skipper Mitchell Marsh yet to score. The run flow slowed for the next four overs, although Marsh managed some fine boundaries, helping Australia reach the 100-run mark in 9.3 overs. Maxwell, battling a poor run of form, took his time to settle.
At the end of 10 overs, Australia was 102/2, with Marsh (18*) and Maxwell (10*) unbeaten. The run-rate picked up after two less productive overs as Chris Jordan’s 13th over yielded 18 runs, including two fours and a six.
The duo of Marsh and Maxwell reached a 50-run partnership in 41 balls. Liam Livingstone’s part-time spin ended this 65-run partnership, with Marsh stumped for 35 off 25 balls, with two fours and two sixes. Australia was 139/3 in 13.5 overs. In the next over, Adil Rashid dismissed Maxwell, who handed a catch to Phil Salt at deep midwicket. Maxwell departed for 28 off 25 balls, with three fours and a six, leaving Australia at 141/4 in 14.2 overs.
By the end of 15 overs, Australia was 149/4, with Marcus Stoinis (8*) and Tim David (1*) unbeaten. Tim David’s brief knock of 11 off eight balls ended when Jordan had him caught by Livingstone at deep extra-cover. Australia was 168/5 in 16.5 overs.
Matthew Wade came to the crease next, keeping the run-rate up with clean hitting alongside Stoinis. Australia reached the 200-run mark in 19.3 overs. Jordan ended Stoinis’ quickfire knock of 30 off 17 balls, with two fours and two sixes, as Harry Brook took a fine catch. Australia was 200/6 in 19.4 overs. On the very next ball, Pat Cummins was run out for a duck, leaving Australia at 200/7 in 19.5 overs. Australia ended their innings at 201/7, with Matthew Wade (16*) and Mitchell Starc (1*) unbeaten.
Jordan (2/44) was the pick of the bowlers for England, while Rashid, Livingstone, Ali, and Archer each took a wicket.
